New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-04

4 WORK WHICH SHOWS PROGRESS.

PAUL PAToFF ~ o. MNIos CE,wI"np emo.
pp. TO. Ilongpton. Mhm "a 90.
Paul Patoh" will ", think. take rank rs
among the lest # vi. Crawiord'- novels. II o.,
fnll f ,criou, and often Tine work. TIE chW1c-
ter ARE well di-crun ha'cd and carefully studied
II may. perhaps. be- objected that The posed
narrator Of the story. PAM Grigss. uic j-cis too
much Of ms own philosophy. Int We cannot sym
patlizr with an impotence Of rcnccuN" comment
| IS hich would deprive rs Of 40 much dry and pleas
at humor know ledge of the world and quaint.
not bitter. cynicism. Paul Grgg' indeed /, an
admir be yocontar. and good Glow with full
American favor Mr. Craw .orl has IN tins story
vcnturcd upon the bold experiment Of bringing
together four natioualIuc- Paul PAon and hi-
BROTHER Alexander are russians: Gfcgaros i. n
Gre, Gugr, Is an American; and the Cav
wells are English. To d. TIN, KIND of thing well
demands a turrahiy intimate knowledge of
national traits. OF course anybody can label
characters English or French or Russian. and too
many noyeII,ts seem 10 think such labelling
quite sufficient proceeding 10 mould their foreign
crs thereafter III tho English or American mould.
But Mr.. Crawford has not followed tins siOyenly
and Inaristic practice. His Russians really
Russian. bis OncntaIs oriental his Americans are
distinct, and his English also.
| Paul atofi II an excellent characterstudy. SO
mlab would checrfully sacrifice all his friends one
after another on the altar of science. Madame
Patoll Is a morbid subject. and it IL difficult to
| test the naiurancss Of such a creation No donbt
there are and always have been mothers as partial
and unjust IN their conduct 10 their children, aud
her inurdcrous impulses but the development of
the dominant idea 10 insane dimensions.
IlerInonc the young English girl. strikes
~ ~ the least successful study IN
the book, though she ~ certainly very
Interesting and her curious pcrpcxity and IN
ability to choose between the two brothers care
fully anal vZcd, and made to appear plausible
enough. The situation - psychOlogcally possible
and therefore justIiiablc The chief fault III IT
seems to ny It's effect upon the general impression
of her character previously conveyed. Mr.. Craw-
ford tells that Icrmione had more OF her fathers
than of her mothers character. That is. she was
naturally rcsoutc sclf-possessed and firm. But
under The spell of Alexander she loses this firm
| ness and somehow ceases to perceive the ethical
fallacy OF her position; nor does IT appear
probable that anything less than tho
terrible scene which creates violent n contrast
between the rivals would have cxtricatcd her from
/ her embarrassment.
Mr. Craw ford has made abundant use of his
| travels and they have gwen him material for n
/ number of clevcrly and strongly drawn local pct-
urcs The general quality of the work put into
Paul Patol is good and the effect upon the whole
| is that Of comprehensive improvement. In some of
this authors previous stories there has been visible
n certain haste and Impotence OF detail not com
patbe with enduring results. Here we have care
full patient, aud generally thorough work, and II
proves that when ho chooses Mr. Crawford can
equal the best fiction of his time. Paul Patof Is
very satisfying novel. and must heighton the gen.
eral estimation of thu antho~